CONTACTS: Cara Schneider (215) 599-0789, [email protected] Arturo Varela (267) 765-0367, [email protected] AVENUE OF THE ARTS NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDE Theaters, Restaurants, Galleries & More Along Philadelphia’s South Broad Street PHILADELPHIA, August 12, 2019 – The stretch of South Broad Street between City Hall and South Street is Philadelphia’s main performing arts district, also known as the Avenue of the Arts. The energy in this area is contagious, as theatergoers, orchestra fans, opera lovers, dance aficionados and artists themselves spill onto the street to mix with the locals who live, work and dine on the thoroughfare. The Avenue of the Arts is home to the striking Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the legendary Academy of Music, The Wilma Theater, Merriam Theater, University of the Arts, Arts Bank and more cultural landmarks. Music fans can look down and trace Philadelphia’s musical legacy along the sidewalk’s Walk of Fame. Both visitors and locals stop to ogle City Hall, the architectural exclamation point to Broad Street’s elaborate buildings. Also awe-inspiring is the Octavius V. Catto Memorial on the southwest side of City Hall. The monument commemorates the short life and heroic deeds of Catto, a post-Civil War civil rights activist. The Philadelphia Orchestra, Pennsylvania Ballet, Opera Philadelphia and other internationally acclaimed artists perform inside the buildings along the Avenue of the Arts. But activities that take place outside also endear the Avenue to the masses. One example: the annual Mummers Parade, the nation’s oldest folk parade, held here on New Year’s Day. Fine Dining: • Aqimero – Inside the grand lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia, chef Richard Sandoval works his signature modern, Latin-American fusion on seafood, steaks and poultry prepared on a wood- fired grill. The restaurant has an extensive cocktail menu. 10 Avenue of the Arts, (215) 523-8200, richardsandoval.com/aqimero • Barbuzzo – One of the must-get reservations along the 13th Street restaurant empire of chef Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran, this modern and rustic bistro is known for European wines, Mediterranean eats—top sellers include Caciocavallo meatballs stuffed with ground short rib and pork—and salted caramel budino dessert. Patrons can grab seats at the ledge of the open kitchen to watch their meals in the making. 110 S. 13th Street, (215) 546-9300, barbuzzo.com • Capital Grille – Diners enjoy dry-aged steaks, fresh seafood, signature cocktails and wines chosen from the award-winning list of 350 bottles. 1338-46 Chestnut Street, (215) 545-9588, thecapitalgrille.com -more- Page 2/Avenue of the Arts • Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse – A former bank building is now a see-and-be-seen bi- level dining room where guests indulge in steaks and savory side dishes. A two-story wine tower at the bar acts as the venue’s centerpiece; the area that was once the bank’s vault now hosts private parties. 1426-28 Chestnut Street, (215) 246-0533, delfriscos.com • Double Knot – This buzzed-about, multi-personality eatery does everything right. As a cafe for morning coffee, a place to grab Asian-inspired banh mi, rice and noodle bowls for lunch—and an absolutely stunning underground izakaya for dinner and drinks—chef Michael Schulson’s dream project is a delicious juggernaut. 120 S. 13th Street, (215) 631-3868, doubleknotphilly.com • Estia – This authentically Greek restaurant specializes in whole, fresh seafood flown in from the islands. The elegantly rustic ambiance provides a Mediterranean backdrop for diners to enjoy meals paired with some remarkable wines, including hard-to-find Greek vintages. 1405 Locust Street, (215) 735-7700, estiarestaurant.com • Giuseppe & Sons – Two Philly food forces, Michael Schulson and the Termini bakery family, partner on old-school Italian in a bilevel space. The ground floor houses a casual luncheonette with table and counter seating; the basement level is a sprawling and elegant lounge, filled with cozy nooks, plush booths and sunken corners. 1523 Sansom Street, (215) 399-9199, giuseppesons.com • IndeBlue – A plush bistro provides an apt setting for modern Indian cuisine, such as stuffed long hot peppers, homemade paneer and braised pork vindaloo, alongside wine, beer and inventive cocktails from the fully stocked bar. 205 S. 13th Street, (215) 545-4633, indebluerestaurant.com • McCormick & Schmick’s – Menus change daily at this upscale spot, committed to serving the freshest fish, oysters and mussels, along with Northwest wines, single malts and martinis. 1 S. Broad Street, (215) 568-6888, mccormickandschmicks.com • Opa – A rustic dining room that serves grilled octopus, dolmades, gyros and more Greek-inspired fare also leads to a beer garden Food & Wine dubbed “one of America’s best.” Inside and out, patrons sip fine wines, local beers and specialty cocktails. 1311 Sansom Street, (215) 545-0170, opaphiladelphia.com • Oyster House – Owner Sam Mink continues his father’s mission of serving fresh seafood at reasonable prices. He presents classic dishes with modern flavors and uses local ingredients whenever possible. The happy hour menu includes buck-a-shuck oysters, $3 beer and a $5 cocktail. 1516 Sansom Street, (215) 567-7683, oysterhousephilly.com • The Palm – The Bellevue’s handsome steakhouse, well-loved for its walls of caricatures of local luminaries, serves the most prime of bone-in rib-eyes, along with classic (chopped) and more modern (baby kale) salads, soups, Italian fare, potatoes galore, fine wines and giant slices of carrot cake. 200 S. Broad Street, (215) 546-7256, thepalm.com • Volvér – Cleverly, carefully composed special occasion dinners are the hallmark of chef Jose Garces’ showpiece inside the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. A summer prix-fixe menu offers three innovative courses for $39; a new tasting menu debuts in fall 2019. 300 S. Broad Street (entrance on Spruce Street), (215) 670-2302, philadelphia.volverrestaurant.com • XIX (Nineteen) – The pearl-bedecked, view-rich, breakfast-through-dinner restaurant on the 19th floor of the The Bellevue Hotel wows guests with sweeping skyline views and a central raw bar of clams, shrimp, crabs and oysters. 200 S. Broad Street, 19th Floor, (215) 790-1919, nineteenrestaurant.com -more- Page 3/Avenue of the Arts Fast Dining & Snacks: • Big Gay Ice Cream – Rainbows, unicorns and portraits of the Golden Girls set the stage for the city’s most flamboyant soft-serve spot. Specials change with the seasons, but a chocolate-dipped, caramel-coated Salty Pimp cone is never a bad idea. 1351 South Street, (267) 886-8024, biggayicecream.com • Goldie – The all-vegan and kosher walkup by Steve Cook and Michael Solomonov serves three things: falafel (in a pita or a salad), shawarma-spiced French fries and tehina shakes, making lunchtime lines worth the wait. 1526 Sansom Street, (267) 239-0777, goldiefalafel.com • HipCityVeg – This specialist in fast vegan fare begins with breakfasts and continues with green smoothies and lunches, mostly salads and sandwiches, including an entirely cheese- and meatless version of a Philly cheesesteak. 121 S. Broad Street, (267) 296-9001, hipcityveg.com • Philly Flavors – The neighborhood outpost of a local chain is known for large-portioned ice cream and water ice—and a freezer of ice cream cookie sandwiches. 343 S. 13th Street, (267) 519-8982, phillyflavors.com • Sweet Box Bakeshop – It’s hard not to be lured in by the brightly colored cupcakes in the display case at this adorable bakery near Antique Row, but those only scratch the surface of the delicious confections up for grabs. Sandwich cookies, homemade Twinkies, crumb cakes and cookie dough are mixed, baked and sold onsite too. 339 S. 13th Street, (215) 237-4647, shopsweetbox.com Cocktail Bars & Pubs: • McGillin’s Olde Ale House – Open since 1860, this side-street tavern is the city’s oldest continuously operating pub. McGillin’s following keeps coming back for regional microbrews, including three house recipes, and an exclusive Ireland-brewed stout. 1310 Drury Street, (215) 735-5562, mcgillins.com • Tavern on Broad – This belowground pub serves classic American fare: burgers, wings, house- smoked pulled pork, big salads. An impressive schedule of weekly events and more than 30 HD televisions attract both out-of-towners and locals. 200 S. Broad Street, (215) 546-2290, tavernonbroad.com • Tradesman’s – The folks behind German-inspired joints Brü Craft & Wurst and U-Bahn turn their focus stateside at this massive restaurant and beer hall specializing in American-style barbecue and U.S.-made craft suds and whiskey. The bar menu mirrors the enormity of the space with a whopping 34 drafts, 40 bottles and 120 types of whiskey; the food menu features Carolina pulled pork, Kansas City wings and West Texas brisket. 1322 Chestnut Street, (267) 457-3994, facebook.com/tradesmansphl Theaters: • Academy of Music – The grand, 160-plus-year-old home to Opera Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet concerts, Broadway Philadelphia performances and others, this gilded, crystal- chandeliered, velvet-curtained theater is always worth the price of admission. 240 S. Broad Street, (215) 893-1999, kimmelcenter.org • Arts Bank – The University of the Arts’ 230-seat main stage is on the second floor. The fully renovated Laurie Beechman Cabaret Theater occupies the first floor of this historic building. 601 S. Broad Street, (215) 717-6000, uarts.edu -more- Page 4/Avenue of the Arts • Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts – Architect Rafael Viñoly designed the Avenue of the Art’s modern centerpiece, home to The Philadelphia Orchestra and more regional and international masters of world, pop, jazz, classical, theater and dance. The Kimmel Center Cultural Campus includes the nearby Merriam Theater and Academy of Music and offers free building and theater tours throughout the week. 300 S. Broad Street, (215) 893-1999, kimmelcenter.org • Merriam Theater – The 1,841-seat, circa 1918 Merriam hosts stand-up comedians, celebrity chefs, dance, theater acts and more.